Allison Niedzwiecki: Celebrating Christmas without Bill O'Reilly

Posted: Monday, December 19, 2005

I applaud the Athens Banner-Herald for printing an onslaught of letters decrying the "war on Christmas." The publication of these diatribes allows the rest of us to see these arguments for what they truly are: illogical, ignorant and mean-spirited. To claim that failing to celebrate Christmas is "un-American" ignores the basic tenets of democracy and smacks of McCarthyist propaganda. To belittle the holidays of other religions as "pagan" demonstrates an abject ignorance of the pagan roots of some of our own Christmas traditions.

The argument that "liberals" are trying to take Christ out of Christmas is both paranoid and delusional. It seems to me that no one is waging a war on the true meaning of Christmas except for these misguided, vocal few. How very sad these folks have chosen to spend this time of peace and goodwill toward men waging their own war on religious freedom and tolerance.

I suggest that these "outraged" citizens spend less time this Christmas regurgitating Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly's talking points and spend more time visiting the sick, feeding and clothing the needy, sheltering the homeless and otherwise spreading Christmas cheer. I feel sorry for my Christian brethren who currently feel so under attack. While they waste this Christmas season spitting venom and bile at all who don't look like they do, worship like they do and vote like they do, I'll be spending time with the people I love and celebrating the birth of a child who changed the world forever through his goodness, compassion and boundless love.